Going Global: Romania- The Transylvanian Trail

By Renée Gordon History Travel Writer

The movies are what really made Dracula a star. He has appeared in more films than any other horror character, more than 250 and counting, is the lead character in the most published book after the Bible and that number doesn’t include comedy and cartoon depictions. Bram Stoker, the author, never visited Romania and was dependent on stories he heard. Stoker’s personal notes are part of a viewable collection housed in Philadelphia’s Rosenbach Museum.

Jonathan Harker, states that Transylvania is one of the least known areas of Southeast Europe and that remains true. The trail is located in an area of Romania that is still known as Transylvania and the novel functions as a literary guide to the sites where the fictional tale is to have played out.

Vlad, Tepes II, later known as Dracula, was an honorific given to his father, Dracul. The name means “dragon.” Vlad became known as “the son of the dragon,” or Dracula. Vlad was a historical figure who morphed into a semi-mythical figure. He was born in 1431 and In 1448 he was imprisoned in Turkey for 4 years. During this period his father was murdered, his brother was buried alive and he developed an unquenchable thirst for vengeance. Vlad was believed to have been killed in battle in 1476 and decapitated. Most who travel across Romania begin their journey from Bucharest, Romania’s capital and most

populous city. Snagov Monastery, constructed in 1408, was erected in on an island in the center of Snagov Lake. It is thirty-one miles from Bucharest. Architecturally it is Byzantian, has 4 towers and is retains its original brick. A number of the frescoes are the original work of Dobromir the Young from 1563. According to the legend Vlad was buried secretly after his assassination in the Snagov Monastery.

On his way to the castle Harker stopped in the village of Bistrita in the Somes Valley. Near the Borgo Pass. The Dracula-themed, Golden Crown Hotel and Restaurant are there. Highlights of the hotel are the saan underground salme meal Harker ate while waiting for transportation and a mural in the cellar that depicts the life of Dracula and displays Dracula’s coffin.

The road from the Golden Crown leads through the Bistrita Valley and beside the Bistrita River close to the pass is the Turda Salt Mine. This awesome attraction features a salt lake where visitors can sail, a concert hall and an amusement park.

Sighisoara is a wonderful medieval town that is a World Heritage Site. The name itself is Latin for “the land beyond the forest”. Walking tours of the village should include the Clock Tower History Museum, the Medieval Weapons Collection and the Torture Room. The fortified Citadel is the best preserved on the continent. Vlad was born and lived here until he was four. His former home is now a bright yellow restaurant. Restaurant Casa Vlad Dracula’s menu features vampire-themed meals.by Brasov is an oft visited village with a direct connection to Vlad. It is on the city walls that he ordered merchants impaled. Brasov is also the location of the Black Church, the largest medieval church in Europe. It owes its blackened appearance to a 1689 fire. The tour ends with a visit to Bran Castle, most closely linked with the legend and said to have been a model for Castle Dracula. Originally a fortress, it was constructed on a 196-foot cliff in 1370. Self-guided tours include furnished rooms, secret staircases and twisting corridors.

The Dracula Trail is approximately a 240-mile drive within the Carpathian Mountains. Live the legend and separate fact from fiction while visiting sites connected with the legendary Dracula by traveling the Romania trail.

“Listen to them, the children of the night. What music they make!”